


Changeling

by Merit



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-08 20:09:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16435961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merit/pseuds/Merit
Summary: Kady had been sold, once.





	Changeling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sprocket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sprocket/gifts).



It had been Marina’s idea.

Every grand, glorious thing that fucked up Kady’s life further, that drove her deeper into magic, had once been her mother’s idea. But her mother had sold her one night, debts driving her to desperation, and now Kady was bound to Marina.

“You’ll steal for me,” Marina said, sliding a finger down Kady’s face, her magic, unformed and ragged at the edges, probing at Kady’s shields. She hadn’t, yet, asked for Kady to pull them down.

“They’ll find out,” Kady said, protesting like she always did. Like it could make a difference.

Her mother hadn’t cared, ultimately, crying bitterly into Kady’s shoulder as she said farewell. Kady’s had been dry eyed, still, watching as Marina smiled like queen atop a throne of skulls.

“Yes,” Marina said, tilting her head like a bird, mouth dark red, stained with the enemies she was yet to slay. 

“They’ll kill me, after torturing me,” Kady said.

Marina laughed, soft and sweet, like windchimes on a warm night. “They may do so,” Marina smiled, “But you’ll hold off for as long as possible.” She cupped Kady’s face, nails digging into her chin, the delicate skin there. “Promise my dear Kady?”

And Kady could only agree.

 

Kady hardly ever came to Marina’s safehouse. They met on the side of streets, Kady bent over the car like a streetwalker, something Marina played out. 

But Kady had grown in and out of safehouses, scattered across the world. Her mother senselessly searching for more magic, something that would fill the gaping hole that Brakebills had left by not even inviting her, by not deeming her worthy. They were all ultimately the same and even Marina hadn’t made this one different; even if the calibre of magic was different from the parlour tricks performed in most.

The place smelled of the new witch Marina was training. Kady discreetly sniffed the air. The bitch was powerful. Probably more powerful than half the people at Brakebills.

How had Brakebills missed her, she wondered.

She listened idly as some of the other hedge witches spoke of the new witch -  _ Julia _ . A name fit for a queen. Marina was almost out of new magic to teach her. Kady could tell by how her magic stretched and twisted, growing faster than almost Marina could teach her.

She’d suprass Marina if given half a chance. If Marina didn’t kill her before she could try.

Marina had a few spells she didn’t teach anyone, secreted away, some of them taught by Kady when the moon was fresh and a sheep lay bloody between them. 

The girl didn’t sound like she’d stop when Marina said no.

 

Kady hadn’t wanted to meet her. Hadn’t wanted to break into Brakebills either, not when she and Penny had just -

But she should have known better. Marina could read her better than her mother ever could. She’d seen the reluctance in Kady’s lines and laughed, wrapping her arms around Kady, kissing the spot that Penny had sucked earlier that day, pressing into the bruises that Kady didn’t even know about.

“You go to Brakebills,” Julia said, beautiful and dark, eyes rimmed with black eyeliner like she was still going through her emo phase. She sounded jealous and contemptuous at once.

Kady gave her a look. Most of the other hedge witches would have turned tail and ran by then. 

Julia only moved closer, hips swinging sinuously. Her pupils dilated, her mouth half open. Horny for magic.

“They said I didn’t have enough magic in me,” Julia whispered, eyes bright with a certain madness. 

Kady smiled. “You’re going to prove them wrong.”

“Naturally,” Julia said, laughing, long, artfully curled hair wrapped around her shoulders. Julia had been used to getting her way. She sat next to Kady on the couch, their thighs touching. A touch that supposed to send a frisson of desire through Kady.  “Can you tell me about it? For curiosity's sake.”

It was a lie. Julia hungered for Brakebills.

“Sure,” Kady said, swallowing the ash in her mouth, smiling tightly at Julia. “Everything has a price here.”

“I said I’ll do anything,” Julia said.

“You’ll come to regret that,” Kady said. “Anything encompasses so much more than you know.”

Julia turned away.

“But I’ll tell you,” Kady said. “For a kiss.”

It was fire, lightning, like holding a bomb in your hands, waiting for it to explode.

Then Kady told her a secret.

 

When Kady ran, fear ran electric in her veins. She ran out the door, didn’t look back, only remembering hearing the screams when she was panting heavily on the sidewalk, five blocks away from Julia’s apartment. 

She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, barely daring to look in the direction of Julia’s apartment. She shook, crying desperately, falling to the ground. Someone said something, a hand on her shoulder, and she lashed out, pushing them away. She got to feet and ran again. When she opened her eyes again, she was in a part of the city she had never been before. 

There was nowhere safe.

That night she disappeared again, hiding amongst hundreds of bodies, bright lights and powerful music. It wasn’t loud enough to break through the screams in her head. She danced to the music, restless and mad, kissing a girl, because her arms looked strong, holding onto a boy because he was tall.

But… he would break them all. If he wanted to. But he’d wanted Julia. Had stayed for Julia even when Kady ran through the door like the coward she was.

She screamed, as the music hit a chorus, lost to the music and the chanting, dancing bodies.

 

The night after the procedure, Julia stood on the edge of a building, staring sightlessly into the city.

“Julia,” Kady started.

“I’m not going to jump,” Julia said, twirling around, her brown hair swirling around her. The wind picked up, goosebumps racing down Kady’s arms. 

“Good,” Kady said shortly. “Then what the fuck are you doing up there?”

“I wanted to see it,” Julia said, words clear and precise. “I wanted to see the city, the tiny people down below. And it seemed best to look at them from up here. Don’t you agree?”

Don’t ever argue with a crazy person, her mother had once said, one of the few pieces of good advice she had given to Kady. And her mother had met a lot of crazy people in her mad pursuit of magic.

“Sure,” Kady said, taking two steps closer to Julia.

“I’m going to kill him,” Julia said, forthright, so sure of herself. “I’m going to kill him. He’ll never come back, even if he is a god.”

“I promised I’d help you,” Kady said, stepping forward, placing a hand on Julia’s wrist. Had she always been so thin? The bones sharp and fragile under Kady’s touch, the skin cold and waxy.

“He’ll never hurt anyone again,” Julia said, cupping Kady’s chin, her eyes bright.

This time she didn’t need to be sold. She’d follow Julia to her death.

“We’re going to fuck him up,” she said.


End file.
